


Universal Motion

by Balenae



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: A swift kick in the pants, M/M, Mentor figures, Mondatta's tired of your procrastination Zenyatta, Mutual Pining, Post "Alive", Pre-Slash, get it together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-03
Updated: 2016-11-03
Packaged: 2018-08-28 18:39:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8457913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Balenae/pseuds/Balenae
Summary: During Transcendence Zenyatta doesn't simply speed up: all the world slows. But by how much?
A moment between Master and Student, but not who you think.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Something brief I spat out, because it was better than contemplating Genji as the Hunter and Zenyatta as Gilbert and Ana as Eileen and giving Reinhardt a Kirkhammer for a moment fucking longer.
> 
> Just playing around with some ideas I'd raised for myself in other writings, and I wanted to dip back into Zenyatta's POV a bit, I missed it.

As the Iris opened around him, golden, almost other-worldly, Zenyatta’s six arms glittering into being, time and _existence_ slowed. It was a sort of double vision for Zenyatta, seeing at once the Halo of the Iris and the area around him in the physical world, the two projected overtop one another. Perfect clarity filtered in, the universe stretching around him, endless, golden, and perfectly illuminated.

“As ever, you surprise me and do the unexpected, Zenyatta. You were one of two beings alone who could Transcend and touch the Iris, see _enlightenment_ and yet you take your moments of perfect clarity in the universe and instead of using them to seek truth you give them to others.”

Zenyatta turned his head, “I am the only one left now who can,” He said, “Mondatta,” his voice was soft, glad, and unsurprised. 

“You used to Transcend just to see me, and seek my wisdom,” Mondatta said, moving around, hands folded behind his back, his form flickering, built of light as he had once been built of metal alloy, golden and sleek, clothed in a kasaya that looked as though made of sun and starlight. Except for his white face. No matter how long his soul dwelt within the Iris, his face was always that same white Zenyatta remembered with grief and fondness. “Now, I only ever seem to see you amidst a battle, and we speak by coincidence.”

Before them, Reinhardt’s shield was failing, the bright barrier tinted red in distress and fractured, about to dissipate as it took one last rocket of enemy fire. Pharah was on the ground, her jump jets damaged, unable to boost her aloft, smoke pouring from one of her engines. D.Va was up next to Reinhardt, her MEKA long-detonated in desperation, vulnerable in her flight suit with only her pistol, but right at the front lines all the same. Behind them, Mei was raising an ice wall, trying to reduce incoming fire from their flank, her jacket ripped from flying shots and close calls. Their movement slow and nearly nonexistent as Zenyatta was exposed to the Iris. Able consider this moment in its entirety for a small eternity.

“I was no longer able to keep them safe with my orbs alone. I was not willing to let these people come to harm, not while I could protect them. I care for them, Mondatta, they are my friends, and their wellbeing matters to me deeply.”

Mondatta made a soft, considering sound and turned his head to the last member of their unit at Zenyatta’s immediate left. Genji was leaping between Zenyatta and a spray of enemy fire, his wakizashi short blade, weaving fast enough to leave an afterimage, nearly frozen in this endless moment, deflecting the bullets. “That is true, you have always cared deeply about everything you touch. But perhaps there are some that would drive you to greater lengths to protect.” He turned and watched Zenyatta, “Perhaps there is just one.”

“I will not let him suffer any more, Mondatta, you know that. He has endured so much in his life, any protection I can offer him I will not hesitate to give. His hand and eye are swift, but the human mind cannot move fast enough to do such a thing for long. He would miss a bullet, he would be hurt.”

“It is both remarkable and unsurprising that whenever you Transcend and we may speak that the two of you are never parted. I have spent a very long time now, Zenyatta, basking within the endless eternity of the Iris and observing the movement of the universe in all its infinite pieces.” He walked around Genji, ducking through the bullets in the air, watching the cyborg caught in motion, “He orbits you like a planet orbits a star. Pulled closer and closer by the immense gravity of your soul. He cannot escape it, and would not choose to do so even if he could.”

“His choices are his own, but that is all they are, Mondatta. It is not so strong a force as gravity.” Zenyatta watched Genji, the streak of his running lights caught in the endless moment. “He is his own sun now, bright and brilliant, steadfast and ever-burning. He does not need to bask in whatever meager light I shed for his own pours off of him now. He has healed, and beautifully so. He fought hard for it, but he is complete and at peace. He resists it, perhaps. He has lost so much in his short span of years, it is no wonder it is hard for him to let go of the little he has to call his own. But Genji does not truly need me now, and would be fine on his own.”

Mondatta shook his head, disbelieving, “You are wrong about that.”

“I am not.”

The Omnic that was made of light and soul scoffed at the one formed of metal and doubt, “Which one of us has permanently passed into the Halo of the Iris, hmm?”

“I do not think your residence in perfect tranquility has given you this particular insight, Mondatta.”

Mondatta was quiet for a moment, but he studied the form of the cyborg, twisted in his furious motion. He reached up and passed a hand of pure light through the afterimage left by Genji’s running lights, but neither seemed to touch the other and did not mingle. “Without you, Genji would survive, I believe that is true.” He withdrew his hand and stepped back, “But it would be the same as surviving without limbs, without sight and sound. Blind and deaf to the beauty of the world, alive but lost to darkness.” He moved again, coming to stand before Zenyatta where he floated, held aloft for combat by his control of Omnic energy, “You are everything to that man, and—“ He looked again at Genji, who Zenyatta had Transcended to save, “—He is everything to you.”

Zenyatta bowed his head, as if in defeat. As proud as he was of Genji and all his strength and accomplishments, he was not proud of his own quiet dependence on his student. “I think it more apt to say that I orbit him, Mondatta. That I am caught in his rotation, happy to bask in that shed light as long as he wishes to shine upon me. You are correct, he is everything to me.” He regarded his student for a moment, “But the reverse I doubt to be true.”

Mondatta shook his head, disappointed, “Stop being foolish. I had no idea what a fool you would turn into after my death. Clearly I took all your insight with me when I passed. If you would reach out and take him, Zenyatta, he would be only yours.”

Zenyatta sighed, “Of all the things you see within the Iris, all the wisdom and truth of the universe, this is what you have chosen to impart and argue with me over when I pass through the Halo? We used to have such important heartwarming talks, it helped me through the grief of your death. I missed you dearly, Mondatta, and now you pester me.”

Mondatta softened, a slight relaxing in the line of his back, “You do miss me dearly, my old friend, my _brother_. I know you still do. I am glad my death does not shadow you, glad that we have been given such a chance as this to speak. I would hate to think my life cast any kind of darkness upon yours. At first when we met here, I trusted in your insight, that you would be wise enough to handle your own tasks in your own time, but I see even your wisdom has hit a wall when it comes to Genji Shimada.”

“I still believe you are wrong, Mondatta.”

“I have seen a great many things here in the Iris, Zenyatta, some I may pass on to you and some it is not yet time. Eternity here, endless possibilities… Would you agree that perhaps I may have seen more than you, trapped still in your earthly cocoon as you are? That perhaps there is always more to be gleaned from the truth of the Iris?”

“There is always more to learn,” Zenyatta agreed, reluctant in the admission to Mondatta more than disagreement of the point. 

“Then allow me to share a bit of the perfect truth of the universe with you, Zenyatta. Genji loves you. As surely as Terra revolves around Sol. Take him. Love him. Because while you both could survive the loss of the other, wretched and pathetic though it would make you, think of the regret and grief you shall circle down to inevitability like a black hole if you never speak of it or share it and suddenly one of you loses the other.” 

Zenyatta had no immediate reply.

Mondatta went on, gesturing to the battle that had stilled around them, “You walk in such a high-risk world, now, Zenyatta. It is different than the solitude of the temple or in your own wanderings. Something may go wrong at any time.” He moved closer again, looking between Zenyatta’s and Genji’s frozen form. “You Transcended to save him, fearing for his safety and his life. If you had not been fast enough to save him or if his deflection had not bought you precious seconds to pass here and offer safety and healing—one of you may have had to wake up tomorrow without the other.”

Zenyatta said nothing for a long moment, the thought of being without Genji or worse, Genji struggling from another black abyss in his fragile soul—the thought of it stole his voice. “Perhaps,” he began slowly, “Perhaps your words merit a degree of wisdom after all.”

Mondatta approached him and laid a hand on Zenyatta’s shoulder, squeezing and Zenyatta felt it as he never would’ve outside the Iris, “It is frightening and it is hard. Somehow risks of the body come easier than risks to the soul, the first repaired so much more simply. But if you truly doubt him in this, then trust my word. I would not lead you astray. Not now,” he murmured. 

“I do,” Zenyatta relented, voice quiet, “I trust you both.”

“Trust yourself as well,” Mondatta advised, “Genji does implicitly, as did I, once upon a time.”

“Mondatta,” Zenyatta said quietly, knowing their time was growing short, seeing slight movement begin in the forms around him. 

“I will see you again, perhaps, Zenyatta,” Mondatta said, amused, taking a step back, his hands folding behind him, “And we shall have words if nothing has changed.”

“I hope we have words regardless of what happens,” Zenyatta wished, watching the Omnic of light before him begin to fade.

“We will see,” Mondatta laughed his soft, distant laughter, and Zenyatta began to pass from the Halo of the Iris. 

\--

Tracer sprinted forward, pistols out and firing at the enemy forces pinning down the Overwatch team, having been the first to respond to the call for reinforcements. She blinked into the middle of the battlefield, ready to help her comrades, knowing Winston, McCree, and Hanzo weren’t far behind. 

As her accelerator churned and pushed her forward through time and space, she caught a strange white glimmer amidst the light being shed by Zenyatta’s brilliant Transcendence. She turned her head, trying to see, and caught a glimpse of a tall, slim figure with hands folded behind his back.

There one moment—

—and gone the next.

**Author's Note:**

> Zenyatta your waffling is quite literally making your brother roll over in his grave.


End file.
